Door-latch construction



g- 13, 1929- V LJS. SWEAREING'IN' 1,7244116 DOOR LATCH CONSTRUCTION Filed June 15. 1928 mm: 1 1H;

I I II V I 2' VIIIIII'III llwllllllmrllllldnl A TTORNE Y Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

LUTHER S. SWEARENGIN, OF W'YANDOTTE COUNTY, KANSAS.

DOOR-LATCH CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed June 13,

The present invention relates to latching devices, and aims to devise an improved and elficient latch construction adapted for doors or the like, and particularly for doors of somewhat heavier than the average construction.

Accordingly, the principal object in view is to provide a door latching means of strong and simple construction, and provided with a handle member for operating the latch bar from either side of the door.

In carrying out this primary object of the invention, a latch construction has been devised in which a simple structural relation is provided between the handle and latch bar to form a loop or bail at one side of the door, together with'a projecting portion or extension from one side of the loop or bail into position for operation from the opposite side of the door.

lVith this general object in View, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating What I have found to constitute a practical 25 and eflicient form of construction for embodying the invention, after which the novel features thereof will be particularly defined and claimed.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional detail view, illustrating a portion of a door and door jamb, equipped with a latch bar construction embodying the present invention, the view representing a section taken on the line II of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Figure 1;

Figures 3, 4: and 5 are sections taken on the lines III-III, IV-IV, and VV, respectively, of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a similar sectional detail view, representing a section taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, this illustrates a door member 8 and a portion of the jamb 9 at one side of the door casing, this jamb member 9 being provided with the usual form of latch plate 10 fastened by screws 11 or the like in proper place for presenting the latch opening 12 in position for receiving the free end of the latch bar 14, as indicated in Figures 1 and 3.

One face of the door 8 is suitably recessed as indicated at 15 for countersinking therein 1928. Serial No. 285,036.

a bracket member 16 provided with screws or bolts 17 for securing said member within the recess 15. The bracket member 16 is formed with a housing chamber 18 for the latch bar 1 1 and its shank portion 19, this portion 19 projecting slidably through an opening 20 in one end of the chamber 18, while the head portion 1 1: of the latch bar projects slidingly through an opening 21 at the opposite end of the chamber (see Figs. 3 and 5). lVithin the chamber 1.8 is also mounted an expansion spring 22 coiled about the shankportion 19 of the latch bar, the opposite ends of i said spring abutting against one end of the chamber 18 adjacent the opening 20 and against the head portion of the latch bar, respectively, for maintaining the latch bar normally in projecting relation with reference to the opening 21.

For operating the latch bar, I provide a handle member 25 of substantially U-shape including the leg portions 26 and 27, the latter being provided with an opening 28 for retaining engagement with the free end of the shank 19 of the latch bar, beyond which the leg 27 is provided with an extension 27 projecting out through an opening 30 in the door 8 into suitable position for operating the latch bar at the opposite side of the door, as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. The bracket member 16 is provided with a slot opening 32 registering with the opening 30 for slidingly accommodating this portion of the leg 27, and the opposite end of the bracket member is formed with a similar slot opening 33 for slidingly accommodating the end of the leg 26, as shown in Figure 3. The end of this leg 26 extends into abutting relation 90 with one side face of the head portion 14 of the latch bar, to which it is secured by means of a screw 34, the head portion of which is countersunk in the opposite face of the bar 14L.

At this end of the housing chamber 18 is secured a bracket element 35 in sliding retaining engagement with that face of the latch bar head 14: into which the head of the screw 34 is countersunk.

A sheet of metal 38 is formed into channel shape for lining the recess 15 and forming a closure for the open side of the housing chamber 18, and thus preventing any foreign particles, such as dirt or chips of wood, from collecting within the chamber ative to actuate'the latch bar from either face of the door and without any tendency to 'cant the bar in the sliding movements thereof.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as the preferred form of construction, I desire to reserve the right tomake any changes as may fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention,

what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A door latch construction comprising a sliding latch bar, a bracket member providing a housing for said bar, a U-shaped handle member having the lopposite leigs thereof secured to the opposite ends of said bar, said bracket member being formed with slots for slidingly accommodating the legs of said handle member, and one of said legs having an extension projecting on through the corresponding slot for providing a handle portion on the opposite side of the door. I

2. A door latch construction comprising a sliding latch bar, a bracket member pro viding a housing for said bar, one end of said housing having an opening for slidingly accommodating the corresponding end of said bar, a U-shaped handle member having one of its legs provided with an opening for receiving said end of the latch bar and the other leg of said handle having its end detachably secured to the latch bar near the opposite end thereof, said housing being provided with slots slidingly accommodating the legs of the handle member and one of said legs having an extension projecting on through the corresponding slot for providing a. handle portion at the opposite side of the door.

3. A door latch construction comprising a sliding latch bar, a bracket member providing a housing for said bar, a U-shapcd handle member having one of its legs formed with an extension for operation from the opposite side of the door and provided with an opening for retaining engagement with one end of said latch bar, the opposite end of the handle member abutting against one face of the latch bar adjacent the opposite end thereof, a screw securing said abutting portions of the handle and latch bar, and a bracket element secured to said bracket member at one end of the housing in retaining engagement with the adjacent end of the latch bar.

In witness whereof I hereunto a-llix my signature.

LUTHER S. SVVEARENGIN. 

